Advice for juniors as the school year begins
Every year, as a Lasso tradition, we publish advice for each grade for the start of the new year, put together by writers that just finished that grade. This year, as we enter our first Block One in Schoology conferences rather than in classrooms, forging new, strange traditions, and reimagining old ones, our advice has changed a little.
August 28, 2021
Every year as a Lasso tradition, we publish advice for each grade for the start of the year, by writers who just finished that grade. You can read advice for seniors, sophomores, and freshmen here.
Sleep
The most important thing you can do to make it through junior year is establish a consistent, healthy sleep schedule. Trust me: you will be able to function so much better with eight hours of sleep as opposed to six. Go to sleep as early as you can. (Side note: don’t try to study or do anything productive in your bed. You will fall asleep. Every time.)
Don’t procrastinate
I know you have heard this countless times, but it rings true every time. Don’t push your homework off until the last minute. Study for tests and quizzes a few days in advance. It is in your best interest to get everything done early. Netflix and TikTok can wait.
Don’t worry too much about what comes next
Be mindful of your post-high school plans, but don’t obsess over them. If you have a concrete plan for what you want to do after graduation, that’s fantastic. But if you are unsure, don’t panic. You have plenty of time to figure it out.
Find ways to stay organized
Develop habits to keep yourself organized and stick to them. Make to-do lists. Put all your responsibilities on Google Calendar. Bookmark Schoology, PowerSchool, and your student Gmail account (which you should actually check) to Chrome. Not only will being organized ensure you complete everything you have to do, but it will save you the time of trying to recall everything.
Remember what is fun about high school
Sure, high school can be chaotic and overwhelming at times, but remember to lean into the fun parts. Junior year is a major turning point in high school and you will be (finally) treated as upperclassmen. Go to prom, play in powderpuff/volleyboys, and participate in pep rallies. Lean into the fun things and create unforgettable memories.
Ask for help when you need it
Junior year will have its challenges and it won’t always be easy. Fortunately at Meridian, there will always be a teacher, administrator, counselor, coach, or other staff member who can provide support if you ever need it. You don’t have to go through your struggles alone.
You can do this, I promise!!
This doesn’t need further elaboration, so check out these GIFs of pandas.
